Just Ducky!

Well if this isn't just Ducky. Out mowing the lawn tonight when I realize there is a Duck in our front yard. It was just sitting there.

I mowed somewhat close to it thinking...it will fly away! Of course, it just quacked at me, or whatever it is that ducks actually do as my third grader told me "Mom, they don't really say that!" (ok, so now I have a duck in my yard and feel betrayed by all the people that taught me that a duck says quack, quack!") Really, what do you do with a duck in the yard?

Phil tried the Sean Connery move from Indiana Jones III, "Ah, I suddenly remembered my Charlemagne "

It didn't work! So instead we, of course encouraged by our children, shooed the Duck to the backyard so it could swim in the pond we just put in. Mind you 2 days ago we put 10 goldfish in the pond. Not sure they'll be there tomorrow. Did I mention the duck kept running into things and we think it might be blind??

SO now we have Anaheim the Duck in the pond with the goldfish. Tomorrow we're calling the Nature Rescue people to come remove Anaheim. She really can't stay here...after all we're Detroit Fans! Do things like this happen to anyone else??

Hey Refs...You Missed a CALL!

Do you have your cell phone handy? You might need it again on Thursday night as the Detroit Red Wings face the Anaheim Ducks for game 7. Why do you need your cell phone?? That's really simple, so you can hold it up and yell at the TV "Hey Refs, you missed a call!" or "Hey Refs, you dropped the call!" Whichever you prefer.

Now I realize there are possibly Duck fans out there somewhere, can't say I've found too many, but perhaps somewhere out there there are some. And with that in mind I'm sure they feel there were calls in last nights game that were missed for there team as well. Just the same I'm a Wings fan, and will always be a Wings fan, and therefore I would love someone to explain to me how tackling a player and sitting on him during the middle of a play when he didn't even have the puck is a legal play. OR, how is climbing on a guys back legal? Did those plays led to us losing last nights game? Who knows, they could have created power play time that may have led to a different goal scenario, we may have scored we may not have. Regardless, "Refs....YOU MISSED THE CALL!"

With that said...Come on Wings, we're not ready for the season to be over! Fight, Win, and advance!

Two Hunderd Sit Up Challenge Day 1 Week 4 REDO

Ok, it's been a few weeks. Guess that's what happens when you get sick, and then hurt your back. With that in mind I decided to restart on week 4.
Today's totals: 32, 38, 32, 32, and 100!!! Feels good at the moment, not sure how it will be feeling later.

Two Hundred Sit Up Challenge Week 4 day 1

Actually, did this on Monday...okay except for the last set that I've been trying to find time to do since Monday so maybe it's cheating but I just did them now.
32, 28, 32, 32 and 58...moving on to Week 4 Day 2 in a few minutes.

Two Hundred Sit Up Challenge Week 3 day 3 (only a few days late on posting it!)

Made it through week 3
33, 42, 30, 30 and 64. Moving on to Week 4!

Two Hundred Sit Up Challege Week 3 Day 2

The count jumped quite a bit today. Glad yesterday was a day off.
Today's totals, 30, 38, 23, 23, an 64!

Two Hundred Sit up Challege Week 3

Week 3, day one
21, 27, 21, 21 and 40 in the final set. That after doing 50 in the test to determine which column to follow in week 3. Wow! That's quite a few sit ups.

Two Hundred Situp Challenge

Day 2 (4/17)
26, 26, 18, 18 and a final set of 42! Not bad, but definitely know why they suggest waiting a day between sessions.

Day 3 (4/19)
24, 25, 21, 21 and a final set of 50!!!! Feels pretty good to be doing the ab workout. Might have to consider adding in the push ups someday...ok that must be an adrenaline thing working on my brain. Week 2 wasn't to bad (started on week 2 because of my initial test). Looking forward to starting week 3 and moving forward.

Anyone up for the challenge just check out Twohundredsitups.com

Two Hundred Sit Up Challenge Day 1

Week 2 Day 1
2009-04-16
32 total crunches after sets of 21, 21, 15 and 15.
This wasn't as hard as I thought it might be, at least so far. Happy that I'm not even sore the next day.

Two Hundred Sit Up Challenge

Phil's been doing this 100 pushup challenge for over a year, so I decided to look into the situp/crunch version of the program. http://www.twohundredsitups.com/logger.html
So...I did the initial test and qualified for week 3. Feeling pretty good about testing into week 3, although I'm going to take Phil's advice and start with week 2. We'll see how it goes.
I'll plan on tracking each day, so keep a watch. Want to join me check out the website above and let me know.

Working With What You Have

The house is in a continual state of progress. Whose isn't really. Today I decided that it is time to work a little each day on different areas. I already have the Master To Do List. (I'm a list maker what can I say). Now the goal is to start working with what I have.

The list includes things like sort through areas, that simply need de cluttered, or things we are done with. Cross the one cabinet off the list today!!! Yeehaw! Got rid of 4 puzzles and some kind of McDonald's toy that I'm sure the kids don't even know they had. Found some new space, that currently I think we're going to leave EMPTY! Now there is a thought.

Second, broke out the white paint that has been sitting by the back door in the garage for 4 months. Put the 2nd and 3rd coat on the bathroom door, as well as the cabinet in the bathroom and the moldings. Now just need to touch up the main color, painted it originally in Oct! The bathroom still needs a few new towels as they go on sale and of course the cabinets need to be sorted in there as well. It's getting done though. Best thing, other then the towels that we still need, a new toilet seat cover and a new door knob there is no more cost to the update. Added some bobble heads to the top of the cabinet (it's an extension of our Red Wings hockey room) and it's done!

Now about the gray touch up paint....

It's been awhile, time to ramble.

Life just flies by and the things that have to get done do and the rest...well not so much.
Today I was hoping to be working as a sub in our school district, but did not get called. So...instead I'm going to catch up on the things on my desk and get some other things done around the house.


In the meantime, also getting set for this Thursday when the Wings open the Stanley Cup playoffs against the Blue Jackets. Can't wait to watch. The big question is whether to skip the PTA meeting so we can watch it in real time, or dvr it and watch it later...ugh decisions decisions.

Regardless...LET'S GO WINGS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Time to change the laundry. Working from home is so great. If it wasn't raining I think I might even decide to do some yard work. We'll see.

Redoing old albums

Yes, I hate to admit it I have old albums in my possession. Prior to 2000 all my albums were non Creative Memories, and while documented in a scrapbook type method were not at all photo safe. My goal for this year is to start doing something about those albums!
This past week I pulled a 7x7 chocolate love album off of my shelf that I have had sitting there for almost 2 years. It already had the paper in it, and was ready for pictures. I pulled apart our honeymoon album and a day later have an album that I know will keep our pictures safe for years to come. The honeymoon album is only 13 years old. Yet, it was already yellowing, and looking bad as it was in one of those stick the picture in on the page and cover it with the piece of plastic albums. We haven't looked at it in years, but now that it is in a photo safe album, we've put it out again and the kids have already looked through it several times.
I have other supplies on my shelf so next I think I will tackle the album covering our first year, and first house. The kids are going to love seeing those pictures again, and I'm going to love knowing that they are now photo safe!
Thank you Creative Memories

New Baby

Creative Memories just launched a brand new line of baby products. They are so cute. The color combinations are beautiful. With the baby girl colors of soft pinks, greens and browns and yellows. Boy colors of browns, blues, greens and yellows. The paper and embellishments almost make me wish I hadn't completed my children's baby albums. There are so many great products. On top of the traditional papers and stickers there is a whole matching line of digital paper and stickers. Want something even quicker??? How about the new baby boy and baby girl quick kits. Complete an entire baby album in 1 2-3 hour sitting!!! It's amazing! Creative Memories is doing such a great job at thinking about peoples lives and time challenges and has created something truly for everyone!
http://www.mycmsite.com/sites/kropwithkathy/catalog-index?ts=1236628679049&event=showmenu&categoryIdParm=170172&pageTitle=New%20Baby&selectedCategory=172&eventId=172&productGroupId=13565

Did anyone else just blink?

It is February 25th. How did that happen? I'm trying to get ready for a big convention this weekend with Creative Memories. I usually look ahead and find out what I need to have done so that Monday won't be as hard. Suddenly I realized the end of the month finance stuff needs done, the calendars need updated and wow it's going to be March. Guess I better add birthday shopping for my brother in law on the list. Time just keeps speeding up as I get older, and life just keeps moving on. Happy March!

Just Do It

Sometimes I think Nike has it right. We make our list of things to do, and then we look at it. Sometimes we need to JUST DO IT. I think the part that is the most frustrating is some of the jobs never seem to go away. Laundry, dishes, laundry, dishes...bathrooms need cleaned...etc. Today I'm going to try and adapt a new mind frame about these things. Today I'm going to be thankful that we have clothes to wear, a washer and dryer right in the other room, clean water, beds to sleep in and food to eat. I'm going to remember to pray for my family as I do the jobs that simply need to get done. There is no sense in complaining about them, we all have them. I just need to do it!

What's Next?

Ever find yourself completing one thing only to wonder...what's next? Sometimes it seems like that is how life is lived. We get through with one thing and immediately need to know what's next? Right now I have several projects going. In my mind I'm trying to get all the details together and somehow I keep coming back to what I'll need to do when this next thing gets done. I guess the thing is sometimes it's fun to have nothing that's next. Just enjoy the day and not worry about where you have to go, or what you have to do. With that in mind...time to go clean the house and set up for tomorrows Creative Memories event and then get ready for World Friendship Day on Sunday. After that it's getting ready for Regional Convention...that's What's Next!

Preserving the Past

I've been thinking a lot about preserving the past lately. For Christmas I made albums for the both the kids featuring the 8x10's from birth until their current age as well as snapshots during that time. I also have been trying to go back and redo albums that are not in safe materials so they will be preserved as well. While this takes time and effort I have learned that it also helps me remember the good times, and why I feel the way I do about people, places and events.
It is stress relief in the simplest form. I don't need to leave the house, although large group crops are great. I just can focus for even as little as 15 minutes on a project and get a sense of accomplishment in it moving forward. I realize not everyone is a scrapbooker, but working with pictures is good for the soul regardless.

All Thrown Off

Have you ever noticed that when things stray from your normal routine everything gets completely thrown off? Friday and Monday the kids had off from school. We had a great time, went to the pool and the mall, played some wii games, and spent time together. Monday Phil also had off which made that day even nicer. Tuesday came and I was lost. Half of the day I thought it was Monday, aside from bible study, Daisy scouts, gymnastics, and hockey that is. Just the same it is now Wednesday and I'm still trying to get the grocery list together and get to the store, normally a Monday or Tuesday task. Get laundry caught up and balance the checkbook. Sometime this month I'd like to finish the taxes but with all the days off here and there it just doesn't seem to get done.
It's not really that I don't like having the extra people home. We've really enjoyed each others company and spent time together. I just wish I wasn't such a creature of habit as when things get out of wack it takes me a few days to recover. That and this weather is giving me a migraine! Oh, well... off to switch laundry and hopefully get back on track.

Did you know?

Did you know that 60* days are only to make you think more about spring and appreciate winter less?

Did you know that 90% of Americans don't sleep well because we are overdosed on caffeine during the day?

Did you know that taking time for yourself everyday only seems selfish if it's all day everyday and really makes you a better person to be around?

Did you know that Casting Crowns and Stephen Curtis Chapman are awesome?

Did you know that facebook can suck the time away from your day if you don't limit yourself?

Did you know that working with photos is actually a great stress reliever?

Did you know that the Wings are going to win the Cup again?

Did you know that this is a really lame excuse for a post but I've committed to trying to post 5 days a week and this is the best I can do?

Did you know that laundry and dishes always pile up, but we should be praising God that we have clothes to wear and have had food to eat?

Did you know that the to do list will never get done, so it's best to do the hardest jobs first?

Did you know that this is the last did you know?